Gemma Arterton found it "weird" playing her good friend Idris Elba's wife in 'A Hundred Streets'

The 28-year-old beauty stars alongside the 42-year-old actor in 'A Hundred Streets' and admits their friendship made playing a married couple raising children seem a bit peculiar.

She said: "Idris and I are good mates - so it was weird to play husband and wife, especially when he'd play husband and wife, especially when he'd point to the young actors playing our children and say, 'That's what our kids would look like, Gem.' "

Away from her acting work, the 'Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time' actress has set up a production company with her friend and they are hoping to create more opportunities for women through the new venture.

Explaining how they want to establish strong, complex female roles, she told Britain's Glamour magazine: "Not just in films - but in TV and theatre too. And we want to work with female writers, directors, camera operators - there are just so few.

"It's early days, but watch this space."

Gemma recently made her stage musical debut as Rita O'Grady in 'Made in Dagenham' on London's West End and recently admitted she took on the singing role in a new production so she wouldn't be compared with anyone who had had the role before.

She said: "I've always wanted to do a musical. Always. I sang when I was younger and that went out of the window when I went to drama school.

"I've been offered a few musicals before but it just didn't feel right. I wanted to do something that nobody else had sung yet. I just don't want to be compared to somebody who has sung it better. I've not got the most amazing voice but I don't think Rita would have either."